Laundering and cleaning apparatus



July 20, 1965 1.. M. MANTELL LAUNDERING AND CLEANING APPARATUS FiledMarch 9, 1962 United States Patent O 3 1%,328 LAUNDERHNG AND CLEANINGAPPARATUS Leon M. Manteil, New York, N.Y. (13$--11 Beach Qhannei Drive,Rockaway Park 94, NY.) Filed Mar. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 178,658 17 Claims-(Cl. 68-43) This invention relates to an apparatus for vigorousagitation and mixing of a liquid or liquids, alone or together withfabrics, or other non-liquid materials. In one form, a gas, such as air,is forced into vigorous contact and admixture with liquid, clothes, orother materials. The invention especially relates to laundering orcleaning apparatus, the liquid being then a cleaning solvent or water,containing soap or'other detergent.

One object of the invention is to provide a manual household appliancewhich may be used to soak, vigorously mix, squeeze, and washcomparatively small, or even quite large quantities of articles ofattire for which it may be inconvenient to employ a power-driven washingmachine.

A further object is to devise, for this purpose, a modified form of theordinary plumbers rubber cup or diaphragm plunger ordinarily used toapply suction to clogged drains to open same. Such modified form can beso constructed that it is readily convertible for use either to opendrains or as a laundering or liquid-agitating or mixing device.

Still another object is to provide a power-operated cleaning or washingmachine which employs, as its agitator unit, one or more reciprocatingrubber or elastorner cups which force gas or air into contact with andadmixture with the cleaning liquid or aqueous detergent, and may 'a camdrive for reciprocating the agitator device;

' FIG. 4 illustrates another form of drive mechanism for the machine ofFIG. 3, or for the device of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. is a detail of a modified port for the diaphragm.

The devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are manual appliances, but may beequipped with the power drive means illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The device shown in FIG. 1 comprises an elastic, compressible,collapsible cup-shaped, or domed diaphragm body 1 of rubber or syntheticelastomer, on which is formed an elongated tubular extension or sleeve 2which may be of cylindrical, rectangular, square, or oval shape in outerand inner outline, in cross section. Assuming that this cup portion 1 isone and a half inches high, the extension 2 should preferably be atleast five inches high, to project above the ordinary Water level inreceptacle 3, to permit access of air at openings 4 and it) formed inthimble 7. Handle 5 passes through the opening 4, being reciprocabletherein. Formed on or attached to the lower end of the handle ispiston-like part 6. When handle 5 is pushed downwardly it seals anopening 8 formed in cup and then compresses or collapses the cup againstclothes lying on bottom 9 of vessel 3. Air caught inside the cup isforced into vigorous admixture with the water, and into the pores of theclothes. Upon raising handle 5, piston 6 moves upward away from opening8. Air then passes through openings 4 or 16 and 8, to relieve thesuction in 3,l95,328 Patented July 20, 1965 cup 1. Thimble 7 isscrew-threadedly attached to the top of extension 2. The reciprocationalfree-play of piston 6 in extension 2 can be adjusted by turning thimble7. Only a small amplitude of reciprocation is needed. Thimble '7 canalso be fully tightened against the top of piston 6, thus converting thedevice to use as a plumbers plunger. Such double use should behygienically acceptable for a sink drain, where the device is used tolaunder clothes placed in a wash basin or sink. Piston 6 may becircular, oval, square, or rectangular in cross section. The bottom ofreceptacle 3 is provided with parallel ridges so as to diminish anytendency for the plunger to stick to the bottom of the vessel.

The sleeve portion 2 of FIG. 1 should preferably be at least threeinches deep, otherwise the handle may wobble in the sleeve. The sleeveand the piston portion of the handle should fit loosely enough(exaggerated in the drawing) to permit the free play required for thelimited reciprocation. The side free play is enough to provide a passagefor air and or liquid. The piston portion is preferably given a diameterof about an inch, so that the suction-relieving opening 8 may be wideenough to obtain quick relief of suction below the collapsed diaphragm,even if such relief is by down-flow of liquid through opening 8, ratherthan by air as is preferred.

The lower face of piston 6 of FIG. 1 is dished upwardly in the center,so as to reduce the area 'of contact. This reduces any tendency of thepiston face to stick to the .diaphragm upon the upstroke. If it isdesired that the pressing of air into the clothes and liquid, in thedownstroke, be omitted, then rim 16 is given a toothed or serrated loweredge (not shown), thus preserving communication at all times betweenopening 8 and the annular passage about piston 6. Piston 6 can then befixed in position by screwing down the cap 7. It will be under stoodthat these remarks also apply to apertures 55 and the cover of part 51in FIG. 3.

The opening 8 of FIG. 1 is flared downwardly, and additional passages18'are provided in order to reduce the chance that communication throughpassage 8 may be blocked by compression of the diaphragm and the hole 8,down against the bottom of the vessel 3. The corrugations in bottom 9assist in this, since they extend outwardly of the diaphragm. The bottomwall 90 of FIG. 3 can be corrugated in similar fashion.

The cup 1 of FIG. 1 may have formed integrally or attached therein asmall plate (not shown) suspended a short distance below opening 8 so asto prevent sealing of the opening by compression against clothes.

in FIG. 2, the piston part 6', formed on the handle, carries a bolt orstud 6a adjustably screwed or forcefitted into a socket in the lowerface of the piston. Bolt 6a has a head 6b which serves to retain thepiston within the socket of extension 2, formed on elastic compressiblecup diaphragm 1. Head 6b is prevented from sealing opening '81 on theupstroke by providing a number of cross-wise grooves communicatingbetween opening 81 and the inside of cup 1. The device of FIG. 2 isotherwise substantially the same as FIG. 1. It will be noted that thearea of contact, between the lower face of piston 6' and the lower ledgeor valve flange formed inside sleeve 2', is diminished by reason of theconical shape of the flange. Further diminution of contact area can beaccomplished by combining the dished piston end with the conical valveflange or ledge of FIG. 2. Also, a narrow cylindrical seat (not shown)may be formed on said flange about openings 8 and 8 in FIGS. 1 and 3, tofurther reduce the area of contact.

In FIG. 3 is illustrated a motor-driven rotary shaft 31 carrying arotating cam 32 which moves between upper and lower parallel followersurfaces of frame 58, and gives to structure 64-59 a verticallyreciprocating motion guided by lower fixed member 69, mounted with Cam32, may be made as large as desired, to provide a recipro in the lowerpart 62. of the Washing machine.

cation of from two to four inches, less or more. Air can pass upwardlythrough passage 54 in rod 64. Formed upon the upper end of rod 64- is ahollow depending sleeve '53. Upon downward movement of rod 64, sleeve 53pushes against an annular flange 55 forming the lower part of a pistonchamber 51. The flange 55 has an integral sleeve 55' which slidably fitsaround a sleeve 56- which is fixed upon lower plate 90 forming thebottom,

to. enter and to exit from below the cup, as a conse quence of theagitation. Cup 52 is a flexible,,readily compressible, collapsiblerubber or polyethylene dia-.

phragm. Part 51 maybe made of the same material, but is preferably madeof more rigid material, such as hard rubber or metal or rigid organicplastic.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate drive. At 22 is a self? reversing motor,such as that described in US. Patent 2,105,514 of 1938, to A. F. Welch.The motor is a self-' I starting reversible synchronous inductor motor.The magnetic rotor .of the motor comprises a hollow shaft 65 having aninternal square screw thread 66 mating with a thread 68 on the lowerpart 67 of upward-down ward reciprocating rod 64. It will be understoodthat thread 66 can be long or short; in fact, it can constitute a singletooth. Rod 64' corresponds otherwise to rod 64 of FIG. 3. Rod 64 is keptfrom rotating by a fixed key 70 mounted upon fixed member 69, whichmember otherwise corresponds to fixed member 60 of FIG. 3.

Key '70 fits in slot 71 formed in the lower part of rod 64. Rod 64' istherefore free to move upward and downward, being guided'by the slot andkey arrangement.

Further speed reduction of the reciprocation of rod 64- can be obtainedby interposing a suitable gear train.-

The reversing motor is preferably designed, by known means, to makeseveral complete rotations before each reversal,'so as to obtain thedesired amplitude of reciprocation of rod 64'.

tlon.

If the admixture of air or other gas, with the liquid,

is not intended, the suction in the space below the com-:

pressed, i.e. collapsed, rubber diaphragm, can herelieved at theupstroke by providing for access of water or other liquid; namely to thespace above opening 8, in FIGS. 1 and 2, and above openings 511 in FIG.3. In FIG. 3, it would then only be necessary to provide an opening inthe side or top wall of upper part of the reciprocating plunger, inwhich case the water in the vesselv or tub would be recirculated throughthe sleeve and diaphragm. 'An opening in the side wall of lower part 52of the plunger would be less effective in that there ,is a -tendency forthe collapsed diaphragm to stick. This is due to partial obstruction ofsuch lateral opening by clothes within the diaphragm; Also, such sideopening would reduce the efficiency of .the laundering action, in

that the squeezing of water through fabric held below part 52, upon thedownstroke, would be less effective.

To increase the efiiciency of the agitator action, a

conical or cup-shaped agitator disk 51 of hard or flexi-ble rubber isformed on or attached around the part 51, for reciprocating movementtherewith. v

A simplified structure can be employed in place of However, speedierreciproca tion through a small amplitude is obtained by designing themotor to reverse after less than a complete revolu-.

the conduitsz dts of FIG. 1. The underface of the diaphragm aboutaperture 8 in FIG. -1, as well as in FIG. 3, can be provided with anumber of deep slots or grooves open downwardly, and also openlate-rally into the aperture ti. Such slots, shown in FIG. 5, extendradially from the aperture, and along the underface of the diaphragm,preferably to points removed from but about half-way toward or evennearer the 'lower' edge of the diaphragm. Because of the depth ofsuchslots, and their number, there is no likelihood that clothes canobstruct access of air to the chamber or chambers present under thecompressed or collapsed diaphragm. This is another precaution taken toprevent suction-induced sticking of the collapsed diaphragm. Ease ofoperation is'thus assured.

FIG. 5 illustratesthis modified form of the structure about port 8, inthe diaphragm. A plurality of deep and narrow radial slots or grooveslSare formed in the lower surface of thediaphragrn, and; extend asubstantial distance downwardly toward the lower rim thereof, for thepurpose explained above. Piston 6" has a recess 160 in itslower end,so-that the lower faceis in the form of a flange, which bears againstthe conical ledge 1', when the piston-is pushed downwardly.

There are other, but I believe, inferior ways to provide a valve for thedevice. For example, handle 5 and piston 6 may be provided with a bore(not shown) extending upwardly to an exit port in the vicinity of thethumb of the operator. Piston 6 would be tightly fixed in sleeve 2. Thebore would then communicate with opening 8. Upon placing the thumb. overthe upper exit port and pushing downwardly, the air and liquid in thediaphragm would be expelled downwardly, as the diaphragm .is compressed.Upon the upstroke, the thumb is removed from the upper exit port. Thisdevice, while within the broader scope of the invention, ,is inferior tothe above. described preferred embodiment of the manual device, becausethe liquid may squirt upwardly, and for other obvious reasons, includinghygienic reasons, and ease of operation. The said exit port can'beprovided with a push-button valve for thurnboperation.

I claim:

1. A pump for fluids, comprising a modified plumbers compressibledomeddiaphragm plunger of. the type used to opena closed drain byforcing the dome of the diaphragm down upon the. drain aperture, andpulling upwardly to apply suction to said aperture; the plungerstructure .thereof comprising a flexible, compressible, colla-psibledomed diaphragm having a sleeve portion on and outside of the summit ofthe dome; the improvement comprising an operating handle, an end portionof which handle is disposed in said sleeve portion and held-therein soas to permit movement of the handle end portion in the sleeve portion;the; plunger structure providing a suction-relieving aperturecommunicating with the inside of the dome and opening into the sleeveportion below said handle end portion, so that upon pushing the handle,the end portion thereof seals said opening'and applies force to the domeportion to collapse the diaphragm and expel a fluid therefrom, and sothat upon pulling the handle the suction-relieving opening is opened.

2. A manually operated laundering apparatus, comprising a modifiedplumbers compressible domed diaphragm plunger of the type used to openclosed drains by forcing the dome of the diaphragm down upon the drainaperture and pulling upwardly to apply suction in said aperture; theplunger structure thereof comprising a flexible, compressible,collapsible domed diaphragm having a sleeve portion on and outside ofthe summit of the dome; the improvement comprising an operating handle,an end portion of which handle is disposed in said.

sleeve portion and held therein so as to permit movement of the endport-ion in the sleeve portion; the plunger structure providing asuction-relieving port communicating with the inside ofthe domeandopening into the sleeve portion below said handle end portion, sothat upon pushing the handle, the end portion thereof seals said openingand compresses the dome portion to collapse the diaphragm, and so thatupon pulling the handle the suction-relieving port is opened; and meansfor reception of laundering liquid and articles to be laundered.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, the plunger structure having meansfor connecting said handle end portion to said sleeve and normallypermitting said free play when the article is in use as launderingapparatus, said means being'adjustable to tighten the handle end portionagainst said suction-relieving aperture to seal it, sov

that the article can then be used to open drains.

4. The article defined in claim 2, the plunger structure having meansfor connecting said handle end portion to said sleeve andnormallyper-mitting said free play when the article is in use aslaundering apparatus, said means being adjustable .to tighten the handleend portion against said suction-relieving aperture to seal it, so thatthe article can then be used to opendrains.

5. An apparatus for agitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith;comprising first structure providing a concave domed diaphragm offlexible, compressible, elastic material permitting collapse of the domeof the concavity, the structure having a sleeve portion connected to.the diaphragm on a face opposite the concave face, the structure havingan opening within the sleeve portion communicating with the interiorspace of the diaphragm, said structure providingfor access of gas to thesleeve portion from which it can pass through said opening into saidinterior space, a second structure for operation of the apparatus, meansfor retaining a portion of the second structure inthe sleeve portion, sothat the said second structure portion abuts and closes said openingwhen the second structure is moved against the diaphragm to compress it,the retaining means permitting movement .of said second structure withinthe sleeve portion away from said opening when the second structure ismoved in a direction away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve thesuction in the compressed diaphragm; and a receptacle for the liquid.

6. A manually-operated cleansing apparatus, comprising an appliance foragitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith, comprising a firststructure providing a concave diaphragm of flexible, compressible,elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the cavity, thestructure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm on a faceopposite the concave face, the structure having an opening within thesleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm,said structure providing for access of gas to the sleeve portion fromwhich it can exit through said opening, a handle for manual operation ofthe appliance, said structure providing means for retaining a portion ofthe handle in the sleeve portion, so that the handle portion abuts andcloses said opening when the handle is pushed against the diaphragm tocompress it, the retaining means permitting movement of said handlewithin the sleeve portion away from said opening when the handle ismoved in a direct-ion away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve thesuction in the compressed diaphragm.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6, the diaphragm and sleeve portionbeing an integral structure.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 6, in combination with means forreception of cleansing liquid, the dia phragm and sleeve portiontogether being at least six inches high, so that the upper end of thesleeve portion can extend above a body of liquid in the receptacle whenin operation.

9. A manually-operated cleansing apparatus, comprising an appliance foragitation of a liquid and mixing a gas therewith, comprising a firststructure providing a concave diaphragm of flexible, compressible,elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the cavity, thestructure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm on a faceopposite the concave face, the structure having, an opening within thesleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm,said structure providing for access of gas to the sleeve portion fromwhich it can exit through said opening, a handle for manual operation ofthe appliance, said structure providing means for retaining a portion ofthe handle in the sleeve portion, so that the handle portion abuts andcloses said opening when the handle is pushed against the diaphragm tocompress it, the retaining meanspermitting movement of said handlewithin the sleeve portion away from said opening when the handle ismoved in a direction away from the diaphragm, so as to relieve thesuction in the compressed diaphragm, the means for retaining beingadjustable to format will a loose or a firm connection between thehandle and the diaphragm, so that the apparatus upon adjustment forfirmconnection is utilizable as a plumbers helper to open obstructeddrains.

I '10. An apparatus for agitation of a liquid, the appliance comprisinga first structure providing a flexible, collapsible, elastic domeddiaphragm, the first structure having a sleeve portion connected to thediaphragm, the structure having a suction-relieving opening Within thesleeve portion communicating with the interior space of the diaphragm, asecond structure for operation of the appliance, the first structureproviding means for retaining a portion of the second structure in thesleeve portion, said portion of the second structure being operative to.close said opening when said portion is pushed against the diaphragm tocompress it, the retaining means permitting movement of said portionwithin the sleeve portion away from said opening when the secondstructure is moved in a direction away from the diaphragm, so as torelieve the suction in the compressed diaphragm, and means providing avessel for liquid.

11. A manually operated laundering device, comprising a diaphragmplunger, the plunger structure thereof comprising a flexible,compressible, collapsible, domed diaphragm having a sleeve portion onand outside of the summit of the dome; an operating handle, an endportion of which handle is disposed in said sleeve portion; the plungerstructure providing a suction-relieving valve port communicating withthe inside of the dome and opening into the sleeve portion, the handleand sleeve portion cooperating to open and to close said port and sothat upon pushing the handle, the end portion thereof com presses thedome portion to collapse the diaphragm, the suction-relieving openingbeing opened upon pulling the handle.

12. The apparatus defined in claim-6, the suction-relieving port havingprovision for preventing suction-induced sticking of the collapseddiaphragm, comprising slots formed in the under-face of diaphragm, theslots communicating with said port.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 6, in conjunction with a receptaclefor liquid, the inside bottom surface portion of the receptacle having apassage formed therein providing communication between the inside andoutside of the diaphragm to reduce any tendency for the collapseddiaphragm to stick to said surface portion.

14. A power-driven cleansing machine, comprising a container forcleansing liquid, and an appliance mounted therein for agitation of aliquid and mixing a gas therewith, said appliance comprising a firststructure providing a concave diaphragm of flexible, compressible,elastic material permitting collapse of the dome of the cavity, thestructure having a sleeve portion connected to the diaphragm on a faceopposite the concave face, the first structure having an opening withinthe sleeve portion communicating with the interior space of thediaphragm, the first structure providing for access of gas to the sleeveportion from which it can exit through said opening into said interiorspace, a second structure for operation of the appliance, means forretaining a portion of the second structure in the sleeve portion, sothat said second structure portion abuts and closes said opening when itis ly reciprocating support member in the container, power-r operatedmeans for so reciprocating the support member," a downwardly concavediaphragm mounted upon the sup-, port member 'forreciprocationvertically therewith, the,

diaphragm being made of flexible, elastic, compressible materialpermitting collapse of the dome of the con-- cavity downwardly when thelower rim portion of the diaphragm meets resistance, said agitatorstructure having a gas passage communicating with the space beneath thediaphragm when the latter :is subjected to upwardly directed force bythe reciprocating means, to pass gas therethrough to relieve suctionunder the compressed diaphragm, said gas passage being automaticallyclosed when the diaphragm is subjected to downwardly directed force toforce the washing liquid in the diaphragm against articles beinglaundered,

16. A 'powendrivenlaundering device, comprising a diaphragm' plunger,the plunger structure thereof comprising a flexible, compressible,collapsible, domed dia f phragm, the plunger structure having a sleeveportion on 1 and outside of the summit of the dome; an operating handle,an end portion of which'handle is disposed in said sleeve portion; theplunger structure providing asuctionrelieving valve port communicatingwith the inside of the dome and opening into the sleeve portion, thehandle and sleeve portion cooperating to open and to close said portandyso that upon moving the handle in one direction, the endportionthereof compresses the'dome portion to collapse the diaphragm,the-suction-relieving opening being opened upon moving the handle in theother direction; a containing vessel for said plunger structure andlaundering liquid; said operating handle being mounted for linear Ireciprocation in said vessel;.and power-driven means connectedforreciprocation of said handle to push and pull the same.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 5,; the second structure, foroperation of the apparatus, including powerdriven means for carrying out'said movements toward and away from the diaphragm.

References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,010 5/80:Wicklin 6s 217 646,637 4/00 Crow 68-217 1,536,303 5/25, Miller 2 68123 X1,711,422 4/29 Mogk 68218 FOREIGN PATENTS- 734,648 8/32 France.

WALTERA. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

I. BUNEVICH, 1 Examiner.

1. A PUMP FOR FLUIDS, COMPRISING A MODIFIED PLUMBERS COMPRESSIBLE DOMEDDIAPHRAGM PLUNGER OF THE TYPE USED TO OPEN A CLOSED DRAIN BY FORCING THEDOME OF THE DIAPHRAGM DOWN UPON THE DRAIN APERTURE AND PULLING UPWARDLYTO APPLY SUCTION TO SAID APERTURE; THE PLUNGER STRUCTURE THEREOFCOMPRISING A FLEXIBLE, COMPRESSIBLE, COLLAPSIBLE DOMED DIAPHRAGM HAVINGA SLEEVE PORTION ON AND OUTSIDE OF THE SUMMIT OF THE DOME; THEIMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN OPERATING HANDLE, AN END PORTION OF WHICHHANDLE IS DISPOSED IN SAID SLEEVE PORTION AND HELD THEREIN SO AS TOPERMIT MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE END PORTION IN THE SLEEVE PORTION; THEPLUNGER STRUCTURE PROVIDING A SUCTION-RELIEVING APERTURE COMMUNICATINGWITH THE INSIDE OF THE DOME AND OPENING INTO THE SLEEVE PORTION BELOWSAID HANDLE END PORTION, SO THAT UPON PUSHING THE HANDLE, THE ENDPORTION THEREOF SEALS SAID OPENING AND APPLIES FORCE TO THE DOME PORTIONTO COLLAPSE THE DIAPHRAGM AND EXPEL A FLUID THEREFROM, AND SO THAT UPONPULLING THE HANDLE THE SUCTION-RELIEVING OPENING IS OPENED.